Enterprise Nation

Sam Styles considers photography as a hobby. But as he wins Awards and growing acclaim for his work, will this hobby ultimately transform in to a business. Sam talks about his portfolio and how he captured the shot that secured a top prize. 

Where does your love of photography come from?

I enjoy imagining scenes and making them come alive through photography as well as capturing what I see as I go about. A good image can transport the viewer to a different place and stir many emotions which I find quite interesting. Photography really is a limitless art, people see different things and I find it intriguing when I see other peoples photographs that show a different perspective on the things you might see through your own eyes.

What is your full time job at Hampton Court?

My work is in Computer Aided Design (CAD) which includes managing and procuring building plans and survey work. This also encompasses imaging and photography so I undertake many photographic and graphic projects. Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity and in addition to Hampton Court also manages The Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and the Banqueting House at Whitehall so I occasionally get to access these other fantastic sites.

Do you consider photography a hobby or a business-in-the-making?

First and foremost I see photography as a hobby. Although there has always been the chance to develop it into a business alongside other skills and I've often toyed with the idea.

Your picture of Hampton Court is stunning - how did it come about?

I awoke one morning, looked out the window and immediately had that child inside me going "IT'S SNOWING!". Living within walking distance of work I was able get out and access the gardens very early in the day. Working and living close by gives you the opportunity to capture scenes throughout the seasons that it may not be possible for the occasional visitor to do.

With this image, I was lucky to come second in the 'Garden Views' category of the International Garden Photographer of the Year Award. This was my first win in a photo competition and it has definitely generated more interest in my work and the exposure has been very good. While I've had no proper work off the back of it I now know of a number of people who want my photographs on their wall and they now take more interest in my portfolio and watch when new work gets added. I look forward to entering other competitions and seeing what happens.

How do you promote your photography?

I have a website which I treat as a portfolio (www.sjsphotos.co.uk). I am a member of online photo forums and I have a website link in my signature which gets picked up by members and also search engines. My website is actually a customised Blogger site which is set up so that when I post a new story it automatically posts as a note on my Facebook profile which gets hits and comments from there. I've recently started using Twitter too.

I've had this set up over the last year or so and I've had a couple of old friends asking about wedding photography through Facebook.

Is your plan to earn a full time living from photographic work?

I've always felt a bit awkward with the idea of turning something that is very much a hobby and a passion into something that I need to do to earn a living. At the moment I would be happy developing it as a part time occupation but it could be very easily combined with other skills as part of a service and while its not a firm plan this idea appeals to me.

• Sam Styles Photography